Airbag systems are commonly used on vehicles and especially in steering wheels. These airbags are designed to inflate during an accident to prevent the occupant from harmful impact with the steering wheel during a crash. Accordingly, the airbag system will generally be positioned in the steering wheel.
It is also known that most vehicle manufacturers want to have their logo or trademark on the steering wheel. These logos or trademarks are often colored images and are positioned on the steering wheel (such as on the cover of the steering wheel that is used to cover the airbag system). Some logos may also have a metallic chrome portion for improved appearance. Such positioning of the logo fosters brand recognition and also helps the vehicle occupant to remember that cars made by the vehicle manufacturer have airbags and are thus safer.
In order to further make the company's logo “stand out,” some parties have even begun to seek for ways to illuminate the logo/trademark. One example of this type of system is found in International Patent Publication No. WO 2007/084031, which document is expressly incorporated herein by this reference. However, to date there has not been an acceptable solution to illuminating the colored portion of a trademark in addition to a chrome/metallic portion. Such a solution would provide cosmetic benefits and would be desirable to many consumers.